Four Major Mineral Deficiencies, Their Symptoms, And How To Overcome Them

You may think that in a society where food is abundant and starvation is relatively rare, that nutrient deficiencies would be a non-issue. However, in many parts of the world, including North America, nutrient deficiencies are extremely common and are often responsible for many of the symptoms and diseases people are facing today.

So how do these deficiencies occur in a world that has plenty of food to go around? Turns out, there are a lot of intertwining factors.

Why mineral deficiencies have become a silent epidemic

The way the current agricultural and health care systems are set up, along with the daily habits that have been created as a result, it is nearly impossible for the average person to escape a mineral deficiency in the middle stages of life. To escape a mineral deficiency, you would have had to avoid nearly all these mainstream issues:

Poor soil conditions due to continuous tilling practices (“strip mining”), chemical applications, and poor fertilization techniques which rip out and burn up minerals in the soil

Consumption of processed and non-organic foods that have been further stripped of their nutrients, which creates poor digestion and compromised assimilation of any nutrients that were present.

Chronic stress

Lack of raw and fermented food consumption, which lowers enzyme and probiotic stores (two critical factors in the digestive process)

Low stomach acid (caused by stress and poor food consumption)

Daily coffee consumption

Fluoridated or contaminated water

Excess sugar consumption

Prescription medications

Heavy metals (metal fillings, vaccines/flu shots, seafood, pollution)

Have you been one of the lucky ones to avoid ALL of these? Chances are you have been subject to all of them, and without specific attention to rectifying it, you are still dealing with the consequences of a mineral deficiency.

You can get a better idea if you are suffering, by noting the mineral deficiency symptoms below.

Symptoms of a mineral deficiency

Generally speaking, you may be dealing with a mineral deficiency if you are dealing with any of the following symptoms on a consistent basis:

Anxiety or depression

Poor concentration

Weakness or fatigue

Muscle cramping

Poor immune system function

Poor social, mental, or bone development in children

Brittle bones (osteoporosis)

Poor wound healing

Infertility

Loss of appetite

Irregular heartbeat

Constipation, bloating, or diarrhea

Heartburn or acid reflux (in extreme cases, nausea or vomiting)

Numbness or tingling in extremities

Poor skin, nail, or hair health

Anemia

Each of these conditions could be related to some common mineral deficiencies. Four of the most common mineral deficiencies today are magnesium, iodine, iron, and zinc.

Magnesium deficiency symptoms

A deficiency in this mineral can cause many issues, due to it’s overall importance in the body. It’s not surprising that many people deal with it, as chronic stress will deplete it, and the most absorbable forms of it are largely lacking in the diet (leafy greens). Nuts, legumes, and seeds are good forms, but unless you properly prepare them and have incredible digestion, unlocking beneficial amounts of magnesium becomes a difficult task.

Some early signs of magnesium deficiency include:

Fatigue

General weakness

Loss of appetite

Constipation

Heartburn

If not addressed, these symptoms could become worse, and show up as the following symptoms:

Iodine deficiency symptoms

Another common mineral deficiency that can have disastrous consequences for your health is iodine deficiency. According to Dr. Brownstein, revered expert and author of the book Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 94.7 percent of 500 patients he tested were deficient in inorganic iodine.

Signs you are in a serious iodine deficiency include:

Thyroid disease

Breast disease

Excess mucous production

Chronic fatigue

Lowered metabolism (can’t seem to lose weight)

Infertility

Cognitive issues

Anxiety, depression, or irritability

Fibrocystic breasts

Hemmorhoids

Headaches and migraines

Keloids

Ovarian cysts

Cancers (breast, ovarian, thyroid, prostate)

Subaceous cysts

If you crave salty foods, that is another nod that you may be dealing with an iodine deficiency. To replenish iodine stores, think about a high quality sea salt and seaweed.

Iron deficiency symptoms

Without proper iron levels in your blood, oxygen delivery in your body is severely compromised. This can eventually result in anemia, which will leave you feeling weak and tired on a daily basis. It can also negatively affect social and cognitive development.

If you find you like to chew on ice, that is also a signal you may be iron deficient.

Good iron sources include grass-fed beef; organic, free-range chicken; and wild-caught fish. Leafy green vegetables and blackstrap molasses are also great sources.

Special note: Drinking coffee can inhibit iron absorption, and as a result, can exacerbate an iron deficiency issue.

Derek Henry, Founder of Healing the Body and the THRIVE Online Health Program, used nutrition, natural remedies, and a holistic lifestyle to naturally unravel 13 chronic disease conditions that conventional or alternative medical professionals couldn't help him resolve. As a result of this one-in-a-million health transformation and the knowledge acquired in the process, he is now happier and healthier than he has ever been and now educates, coaches, and inspires thousands of others to transform their health through a natural and holistic approach. To date, he has helped his THRIVE participants heal over 20 different chronic disease conditions, making it one of the most successful health programs in the world.

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